Job Description

Posting number: 26-20355

Department: MBTA - Office Perf Mgmt & Innov

Division: 502-OPMI

Job classification: Senior Data Engineering Co-Op (Office of Performance Management and Innovation)

Posting type: Internship / Co-Op

Categories: Engineering, IT and Computers, Planning and Development, Management, Project Management, Organizational Development, Internship, Office and Administrative Support, Career Exploration

Summary

The Office of Performance Management and Innovation (OPMI) develops and tracks performance metrics for MassDOT and the MBTA and implements strategic initiatives with a focus on data analysis to improve rider experience. Some examples of OPMI’s work can be seen on the MBTA Performance Dashboards, the Data Blog, and the MBTA’s Open Data Portal.

We are an office devoted to problem-solving and creative thinking, and there are many opportunities for co-ops to participate in this exciting work. Co-ops will also have the opportunity to participate in training, fieldwork, tours, conferences, and other learning opportunities as available. By the end of their co-op, they will have gained experience managing multiple concurrent projects, collaborating with multiple departments across the MBTA and MassDOT, and working with many datasets to answer a variety of real-world questions.

OPMI is currently working as a “hybrid” office, including both remote and in-office work. The office is set up “hotel” style, where staff members have no assigned desks and reserve space when they expect to come in. Staff are expected to come into the office 2 to 3 days per week, with Tuesday and Thursday being the all-staff days for the team (everyone in-office).

OPMI is seeking a Data Engineering Co-Op to perform a range of data strategy tasks. The specific responsibilities of the role will vary based on project availability but will mainly focus on:

• Assist in the development of data automation pipelines using various technologies.
• Support documentation efforts for ongoing automation projects and enhance documentation for existing processes.
• Assist in data cleaning, transformation, and validation to ensure data quality and reliability.
• Collaborate with data analysts and stakeholders to understand data requirements and improve data accessibility.
• Contribute to the development, publication, and maintenance of the MBTA Open Data Portal.
• Help manage data sources, databases, and data flows across OPMI, MBTA, and MassDOT, collaborating with multiple stakeholders.

The most qualified (or ideal) candidates would be pursuing an undergraduate / bachelor’s degree in computer science, data analytics, math, physics, engineering, public policy, urban planning, government, or a related field; above average skills in at least one programming language (such as R or Python), and experience with at least one DevOps technology and SQL querying. We are looking to hire one (1) co-op, who will work at least 2 - 3 days onsite (40 hours per week) for at least six months (January – June).

Examples of duties

• Gain familiarity with OPMI’s data infrastructure and workflows, understanding data collection, transformation, and reporting processes at various development stages.
• Develop and maintain automated data pipelines for ingesting, transforming, and publishing transit-related data using GitHub Actions, Docker, and other CI/CD tools.
• Improve data quality control by implementing automated validation, anomaly detection, and monitoring systems.
• Monitor and troubleshoot data pipelines, proactively identifying and resolving failures, bottlenecks, or inconsistencies.
• Analyze and optimize data storage and processing workflows, recommending improvements for efficiency and scalability.
• Support version control best practices for data pipelines and scripts using GitHub and GitHub Actions.
• Perform ad hoc data cleaning, transformation, and integration using SQL, R, or Python, with optional analysis and visualization as needed.
• Assist in documentation and reporting, contributing to dashboards, reports, presentations, and technical protocols for internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the data team to present findings and support data-driven decision-making across MBTA and MassDOT.
• Engage in team meetings, knowledge-sharing sessions, and organizational events to support collaboration and workflow improvements.
• Participate in fieldwork efforts as needed, assisting in real-world data collection and integration into automated pipelines.
• Participate in team / staff meetings, organizational events, fieldwork, project teams, or other duties as assigned.
• Provide internal and external customers with courteous and professional experience.
• Additional responsibilities may focus on one or more specific departments or locations (refer to department-specific addendums or hiring manager guidance).
• Perform all other duties and projects assigned.
• The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and complexity of the work being performed by staff assigned to this job and do not represent an exhaustive list of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities required of staff assigned to this position. The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here-in are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Qualifications

• Enrolled, for entire duration of employment, in the graduate / Master’s degree program of an accredited college / university in computer science, data analytics, math, physics, engineering, public policy, urban planning, government, or a related field (must have proof of enrollment).
• Problem-oriented thinking and comfort with ambiguity.
• Above average ability to break down broad problems into answerable questions and identify appropriate tools for addressing each step of answering such questions.
• Above average skills in at least one programming language (such as R or Python) and willingness to pick up new languages.
• At least one year of experience with DevOps technologies, such as Docker, GitHub Action, and Terraform.
• At least one year of experience with basic relational database operations and SQL querying.
• Above average quantitative / analytical perspective and talents.
• Above average ability to critically review data and communicate technical knowledge to a non-technical audience.
• Strong interest or experience with data governance, familiarity with some open data platforms.
• Above average proficiency with standard office software (e.g. Microsoft office) or relevant technical tools.
• Above average ability to communicate effectively in English, both in written and oral forms.
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and detail oriented.
• Demonstrated interest in public transportation, urban planning, engineering, public policy, or public service.
• Proven ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively within diverse, fast-paced environments.
• Ability to commute independently to assigned work locations within the Greater Boston metro area, as required by the role.
• Authorized to work in the United States (international students in CPT, STEM, or OPT programs through a university are eligible to apply). The MBTA does not provide visa sponsorship, such as H1-B status.
• The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and complexity of the work being performed by staff assigned to this job and do not represent an exhaustive list of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities required.